102½ M. RAILWAY Train, with one 1st and 2nd cl. through-carriage, in
5¼–5¾ hrs.; (fares 18 fr. 55, 13 fr. 35 c., 10 fr.). Dep. from chief
station (p. 175). As far as Aïn-Fezza (p. 186) finest views to the
left. Railway Restaurant (D. 2 fr.) at Sidi Bel-Abbès only.
MOTOR TRIP (p. 173) from Oran viâ Misserghin, Aïn-Temouchent, and
Pont-de-l’Isser to (82½ M.) Tlemcen, returning viâ Sidi Bel-Abbès (128
M.), interesting; good road.
Between _Lamur_ (p. 181) and _Victor-Hugo_, suburbs of Oran, the train
crosses the Damesme and Perrégaux line (R. 32). Beyond the small
salt-lake _Daya Morselli_, on the left, we enter the _Plaine du
Figuier_, on the N. side of the _Sebkha d’Oran_, one of the largest
salt-lakes in the Tell Atlas, 26 M. long and 6 M. broad.
3 M. _La Sénia_ (325 ft.), a Spanish village, with productive
vegetable-gardens and vineyards; also a station on the steam-tramway
from Oran to Hammam Bou-Hadjar (p. 184).
To the S.W. from La Sénia diverges the ORAN AND AÏN-TEMOUCHENT LINE
(from Oran 47½ M., in 2¼–3 hrs.; fares 8 fr. 60, 6 fr. 15, 4 fr. 60
c.). The train skirts the S. base of _Jebel Murjajo_ (p. 182), near
the Sebkha d’Oran. 12½ M. _Misserghin_ (360 ft.; Hôt. des Voyageurs,
Hôt. de la Paix, both poor; pop. 4400), situated 9½ M. to the S.W. of
Oran by the Tlemcen road, a spot much visited from Oran, possessing a
large pépinière or nursery, and several monastic foundations; charming
walk to the (2½ M.) _Ravin de la Vierge_ through luxuriant orange,
lemon, mandarin, and banana groves.—22½ M. _Bou-Tlélis_ (295 ft.),
whence a road leads viâ the _Forêt M’Sila_ and _El-Ançor_ to
_Bou-Sfer_ (p. 184). 29½ M. _Lourmel_ (300 ft.), near the W. end of
the salt-lake. 35 M. _Er-Rahel_ (450 ft.), connected by road (6¼ M.)
with _Hammam Bou-Hadjar_ (p. 184). We cross the _Rio Salado_ (Arabic
_Oued Malah_) to (40 M.) _Rio Salado_ (279 ft.), famed for its
wine.—47½ M. =Aïn-Temouchent= (847 ft.; Royal Hotel; Hôt. de Londres;
Hôt. de la Poste; pop. 7500), founded in 1851 on the site of the Roman
_Albulae_, chiefly inhabited by Spaniards, lies amidst vineyards and
orchards in the narrow valley of the _Oued Senane_, into which the
_Oued Temouchent_ falls here. The Thurs. market is worth seeing.
The ROAD TO TLEMCEN, 41 M. (diligence at 7 p.m. in 9 hrs., returning
from Tlemcen at 9 p.m.; coupé 6 fr.) leads to the S.W. from
Aïn-Temouchent through a hill-region, composed mainly of eruptive
rock, and well-watered, to the thriving village of _Aïn-Kial_ (1477
ft.; noted for its cattle), crosses the pass (1998 ft.; fine views) of
_Jebel Sebaa-Chioukh_, and then descends past the onyx-quarries of the
hill-village of _Tekbalet_ to the _Isser Valley_. 20½ M.
_Pont-de-l’Isser_ (807 ft.; Hôt. Pomarès, humble), a village amid
orange-gardens and olive-groves, is almost purely Mohammedan. The
road, now shadeless, affording fine glimpses of Tlemcen, ascends for a
long time in the valley of the _Oued el-Guettara_, and reaches (37½
M.) _Safsaf_ (2493 ft.) and (41 M.) _Tlemcen_ (2658 ft.; p. 187).
Another road (23 M.; omn. at 9 a.m.) leads to the W. from
Aïn-Temouchent to the little seaport of _Beni-Saf_, the outlet for the
iron-ores of the Comp. du Mokta el-Hadid (p. 303). From Beni-Saf a
road (omn. at 6.45 a.m., in 9 hrs.; 5 fr.) leads viâ (5½ M.)
_Rachgoun_ (opposite the island mentioned at p. 125) into the fertile
valley of the _Tafna_, the ancient _Siga_, and to (8¾ M.) _Takembrit_,
the modern name for the ruins of the once important Roman town of
_Siga_. Then, beyond the confluence of the Isser with the Tafna, the
road reaches (27½ M.) _Montagnac_ (735 ft.) and (36 M.) _Hennaya_
(1346 ft.), whence it ascends to (42½ M.) _Tlemcen_ (2658 ft.).
The TLEMCEN RAILWAY, beyond La Sénia, crosses the Plaine du Figuier, and
beyond (6 M.) _Valmy_ (p. 184) nears the salt-works on the Sebkha d’Oran
(p. 185). 16 M. _Ste. Barbe-du-Tlélat_ (492 ft.) is noted for its table
grapes.
Our train here diverges to the S.E. from the line to Perrégaux and
Algiers (R. 33), and follows the vine-clad valley of the _Oued Tlélat_.
Beyond (20 M.) _St. Lucien_ we pass a barrage or reservoir. 26 M. _Les
Lauriers-Roses_ lies on the N.E. spurs of _Jebel Tessala_ (3481 ft.),
the mountain which separates the great and fertile tableland of Sidi
Bel-Abbès, one of the granaries of the province, from the basin of the
Sebkha d’Oran.
The train crosses the _Col des Ouled-Ali_ and the _Oued Imbert_ (1578
ft.) in the fertile valley of that name, and reaches the top of the
tableland. 38½ M. _Les Trembles_ (1375 ft.); the village lies on a
height to the left, between the _Oued Mekerra_ (Sig, p. 206) and its
affluent _Oued Sarno_. We then ascend the Mekerra valley to (42½ M.)
_Prudon_ (1477 ft.), where many of the wine-growers are Germans, old
soldiers of the French foreign legion.
48½ M. =Sidi Bel-Abbès= (1542 ft.; Hôt. d’Orient & Continental; Hôt. des
Voyageurs; pop. 29,080), a prosperous agricultural town, was founded in
1849 on the plan of a Roman camp, with streets at right angles, and is
surrounded by suburbs occupied mainly by Spanish immigrants. This is the
headquarters of the _Légion Etrangère_, composed mainly of adventurers
and deserters from Germany and other countries, the first regiment of
whom is located here and the second at Saïda (p. 201). The legion is for
the most part stationed on the Sahara railway (p. 199), in Morocco, or
in the colonies. Great market on Thursdays. Outside the S. gate, the
Porte de Tlemcen, are pleasant public grounds (concerts).
_A. E. W. Mason’s_ novel ‘The Truants’ (London, 1904) deals with the
Foreign Legion.
62½ M. _Tabia_ (2035 ft.), the next important station, is the junction
for a line to (48 M.) _Crampel_ (_Ras el-Ma_), used chiefly for the
esparto traffic (p. 171).
We now near the main chain of the Tell Atlas of Oran. 77½ M.
_Aïn-Tellout_, with the spring of that name and a waterfall. 83 M.
_Lamoricière_ (2349 ft.), in a fertile tract, on the _Isser_. Near
_Hadjar-Roum_, to the E. of the station, lay the Roman _Altava_.
89½ M. _Oued-Chouly_, on the brook of that name, which bursts forth in
cascades from a ravine to join the Isser. Near this, at _Sidi-Hamza_,
are considerable onyx-quarries. The train now ascends rapidly to (97 M.)
_Aïn-Fezza_ (2855 ft.).
We next enter the upper *_Safsaf Valley_, enclosed by the high limestone
slopes of _Jebel Hanif_ (3928 ft.) and _Jebel Chouka_ (3786 ft.), and in
a sharp bend, passing through several tunnels, sweep round the gorge of
_El-Ourit_ (p. 196), with its waterfalls. We skirt the foot of _Sidi
Bou-Médine_ (p. 194), obtaining a beautiful view of the fertile
hill-country to the right, and run through olive-groves to (102½ M.)
_Tlemcen_ (see p. 187).
[Illustration: TLEMCEN]